Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult

Richard Metzger

Average Rating 9/10 (1 Review)

Disinformation’s wicked warlock Richard Metzger gathers an unprecedented cabal of modern occultists, magicians and forward thinkers in Book of Lies. Whereas past Disinformation volumes like You Are Being Lied To, Everything You Know is Wrong and Abuse Your Illusions focused on secrets and lies from the mainstream media, government and other establishment institutions to rethink what a political science book could look like, Book of Lies redefines occult anthologies, packaging and presenting a huge array of magical essays for a pop culture audience:

• Terence McKenna asks if we can contact "aliens" with the smokable drug DMT–the answer may surprise you!
• The Executable Dreamtime by Mark Pesce explores the relationship between spell casting and computer programming.
• Comics genius Grant Morrison’s Pop Magic! Explains how YOU can become a practicing magician!
• Memento Mori: (Remember You Must Die) by Paul Laffoley examines the growing fascination with death in our culture and describes "Thanatonic" energy.
• Artist Joe Coleman on the occult aspects of his work in Joe is in the Details.
• Are You Illuminated? by Phil Hine takes the novice magician through the stages of Initiation and beyond.
• Daniel Pinchbeck’s psychedelic and magical experiences recounted in an extended excerpt from Breaking Open the Head.
• Chapel of Extreme Experience author John Geiger on the harrowing psychic explorations of William Burroughs and Brion Gysin.
• Calling Cthulhu: Techgnosis author Erik Davis on H. P. Lovecraft.
• The Road to Excess sheds some light on a spooky little known incident in the life of Timothy Leary.
• Robert Anton Wilson on the similarities between Crowley and Leary.
• Tim Maroney’s beginner’s guide to Aleister Crowley.
• Genesis P-Orridge’s personal memories of his magical education under William Burroughs and Brion Gysin (an instant classic!) and his essay on British occult artist Austin Osman Spare.
• Donald Tyson’s The Enochian Apocalypse. Were the seeds of the end of the world sown in the Elizabethan era?
• The Crying of Liber 49, Richard Metzger’s essay on rocket scientist and occultist Jack Parsons.
• Julius Evola on Occult War.
• Cameron: The Wormwood Star by Brian Butler tells – for the first time ever – of the life and times of Jack Parson’s "Scarlet Woman," witch and Beatnik artist Marjorie Cameron.
• Magical Blitzkrieg: Tracy Twyman and Peter Levenda on Nazis and the Occult.
• Did fallen angels mate with humankind during the time of Noah? Boyd Rice on The Book of Enoch, one of the "forgotten books" of the Bible.
• Allen Greenfield’s Secret History of Witchcraft goes to the "roots" of Wicca and modern paganism. They might not be as deep as you think!
• Nevill Drury on Australian witch, Rosaleen Norton.
• Michael Moynihan conducts a fireside chat with the Black Pope of the Church of Satan, Anton LaVey.
• Season of the Witch by Gary Lachman examines the dark side of hippie and the "Age of Aquarius".
• Hakim Bey on Sorcery and Occult Terrorism.

Review by Paul Lappen (190304) Rating (9/10)

Review by Paul Lappen
Rating 9/10
Magick is defined as "the art and science of causing change in conformity with will" (Aleister Crowley). That's the intention behind the pieces in this book, to look at many aspects of magick and the occult, and thereby do really interesting things with the concept of reality.

Peter levenda looks at Hitler's obsession with the occult, and a side of World War II fought with spells as much as with bullets. Daniel Pinchbeck tells the story of how he unintentionally brought poltergeists into his home by snorting a hallucinogenic compound called DPT. One of the pieces in this book is an interview with Black Pope Anton LaVey, author of the "Satanic Bible." Of course, Aleister Crowley is well represented in this book.

The crises in our present-day world are the "fault" of a powerful spiritual being called Ahriman. It is the inspirer of materialistic science and commercialism, and permeates modern culture with deadening forces. Another piece analyzes the Cthulhu Mythos stories of H.P. Lovecraft. Several pieces look at various aspects of the magickal collaboration between Brion Gysin and William S. Burroughs.

Robert Anton Wilson tells of a collaboration in the field of astral projection between him and Timothy Leary, while Leary was part of the California penal system. Jack Parsons was one of the pioneers of the American space program, helping to found what would become the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He was also an avid practitioner of the occult sciences. Ida Craddock was an advocate for women's freedom, including sexual freedom, in the late 19th century. She also claimed to be the wife of an angel.

To quote from the Introduction, "And if it is your first dip into occult literature, I do hope this book is like having a nuclear bomb go off behind your eyeballs or a razorblade slashed across your brain." In that respect, this book succeeds really well. It is another book from The Disinformation Company Ltd that is not for the faint of heart, or those who don't want their perceptions challenged.

Parts of this book were way over my head, but I enjoyed the rest of it. Those with any interest in magick or the occult need this book. It's very much worth it.
Paul Lappen (19th March 2004)